Hey guys! I know that I just updated last night, but I couldn't sleep, so I wrote an entire chapter in one night while watching Archer. I am not sure how good it is, as I've been up for almost 24 hours straight, and it's a little short, but I hope you enjoy!
Chapter 7
About ten minutes later, a doctor came around the corner and looked at a clipboard.
"Family of William Holmes?" She said, looking around the waiting room.
John immediately got up and jogged over. "I'm John Watson. I'm a friend. His brother left."
She looked at him kindly. "Yes, he called the hospital and said that you have his permission to make decisions on his behalf."
Surprised by this news, John just nodded. The doctor seemed to take this as a sign to keep on going.
"I'm Doctor Benson. William is all settled in. We would like to keep him on Neurontin until he is discharged, but we gave him a months worth of it in the tablet form, so he should be all set. I have been informed that you knew nothing about his condition before today?"
"Yeah, I wish I had." John said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Well, William's brother told me you were a doctor, but still wanted me to go over the details."
"That's fine. I should know everything. Can we sit?" John asked, gesturing towards the chairs.
"Of course." Walking over, they sat facing each other. Dr. Benson put down her clipboard and clasped her hands together.
"Okay. I guess I'll start with the basics. Benign Rolandic Epilepsy has it name because the seizures come from the rolandic area of the brain, which is the part that controls movements. The term "benign" refers to the fact that most children outgrow these seizures during adolescence. A typical seizure involves twitching, numbness, or tingling of the child's face or tongue, or limbs*. These symptoms can interfere with speech and may cause drooling. As you know, this is a focal seizure, and can last up to two minutes. Sherlock has a severe case of the condition. Mr. Holmes said that Sherlock starts to stutter, drools, and gets this blank look in his eyes. Are you following?"
John had known that epilepsy was a serious thing, but hearing all this and thinking that Sherlock had, and was, going through all this made him want to to give Sherlock a hug. Yeah, like that'll ever happen. He realized that Dr. Benson was trying to get his attention.
"John, are you okay?" She asked, putting a hand on his knee.
Looking at her hand, he suddenly realized that Dr. Benson was incredibly attractive. But he hadn't noticed till now. And he wasn't attracted to her in the least. That might be because we are in a hospital. And Sherlock is lying in a hospital bed. Turning to Dr. Benson, he smiled. "I'm sorry, I was distracted. Please continue."
Dr. Benson gave a puzzled look, but continued none the less. "William usually only has tonic clonic seizures in his sleep, and usually in clusters, but not frequently. But I think that the stress of his bag being taken and being turned into a child in the first caused him to have this seizure. It is possible that if he becomes truly stressed, he may have another daytime seizure. I think for the first week he might have a few nocturnal seizures as well, but after that it should be like it was before. The biggest trigger for this kind of epilepsy is lack of sleep, so please make sure that he gets at least eight hours a night."
John laughed out loud. "That is going to prove to be a challenge."
Dr. Benson smiled. "Well, he is in the body of a five year old, so he will probably end up needing naps as well."
John nodded. "He almost fell asleep walking today. It was the cutest thing."
Dr. Benson's smile widened. "I'm sure it was. Anyway, the Neurontin will significantly decrease the amount of focal seizures he has, so you should be fine until they find an antidote for whatever was given to him. Side effects are dizziness, tiredness, and double vision. Any questions?"
"One. Can I see William now?" John asked.
Now Dr. Benson had a full blown smile on her. "Yes, of course. I have other patients to see. He is in Room 892."
John got up and shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you so much for everything."
"My pleasure. And if you want to ever talk, maybe over coffee…" Ripping a piece of paper of her clipboard, she quickly wrote something down. "Here's my number."
John smiled and took the scrap of paper. This is the second number I've received today. And in both situations I have felt no interest. Tucking the number into the same pocket as the other, he said goodbye to Dr. Benson, and went to go see Sherlock.
Walking into the room, he was confronted with a frowning Sherlock picking at his IV. Seeing John caused Sherlock's face to become neutral and for him to swing his legs off the bed.
"Finally, I have been waiting fowevew. Take thisth IV out of my awm stho we can leave."
John frowned. "I think we need to talk about some things first."
Sherlock sighed. "Can't thisth wait until we get home? I have deducthed all the nuwsthes (nurses) and have become incwedibly bowed."
John had thought that his anger had disappeared with Mycroft's explanation, but he felt a something akin to anger stir inside of him. "No, we need to have this now. I had a conversation with Mycroft and the doctor."
Sherlock's look became stony. "I assthumed."
John was now sure he was feeling anger, but he kept his expression neutral. "And I got a lot of explanations. But the one that I couldn't get is why you felt the need to lie about something so serious."
Sherlock stared at John. "I didn't feel like it wasth impowtant."
"Not important? Not IMPORTANT?! Are you serious! What if you had been alone in the apartment? Or we had been crossing the street? You could have died!" John exploded, but immediately regretted it.
"DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT?" Sherlock yelled, his voice seeming disproportionate with his small body. "I have alweady lived thwough thisth oncthe. Don't you think that I know evewything about thisth bloody condition?"
John had a sudden urge to tell Sherlock not to swear, but he knew that it wouldn't go over well. "Sherlock, you need to calm down."
"Oh yesth, I can't get mad, unlessth I want to have a stheizuwe. Shewlock, you need to sthleep, you could have a stheizuwe. You can't do anything by youwsthelf Sherlock, BECAUSTHE GOD FOWBID YOU HAVE A STHEIZUWE! My parentsth didn't let me do anything fow feaw that I might 'make a scthene' or embawessth them. Stho why would I want to go thwough that again?"
John really was starting to worry as he heard the heart monitor speed up. "Sherlock, please, just calm down."
"NO! Why would I want to tell you about sthomething that hasth causthed evewy sthingle person who knowsth to look at me with pity?" Tears started to form in his eyes. "Why would I want my only fwiend to tweat me diffewently?" He wiped his face furiously. "And why the hell am I cwying?"
John couldn't help but smile a little. "You're a child. You cry easily."
Sherlock crossed his arms. "Well, I hate thisth. I hate evewything about thisth!"
John could footsteps and turned to see two nurses peering in the room. He mouthed 'I have this', then turned back to Sherlock. Walking over the the bed, he sat down on the edge. "Why would I treat you any differently?"
"Becausthe evewyone doesth! Didn't you heaw me?" Sherlock said with a withering look..
Holding back a smile, John looked Sherlock straight in the eyes. "Sherlock, just because you look different and have a condition that you can't control, doesn't mean that you aren't the same arrogant, self righteous, annoying, and brilliant man that I met three years ago.
Sherlock stared at John, almost as if he was reading him. Which he probably was. "Weally?"
Now John did smile."Yes! And this is only temporary! Soon you will be back to chasing criminal and calling me an idiot every five minutes."
"I don't have to be gwown to call you an idiot, idiot." Sherlock said with a small smile.
John laughed. "True. So, I don't know about you, but I would really like to go home. What do you say?"
"Finally!" Sherlock said, holding out his arm. John carefully took out the IV, then handed Sherlock his clothes. After quickly changing, Sherlock started to walk out. But John noticed Sherlock wincing. "You okay?" John asked, walking over to him.
Sherlock grimaced. "Yeah, it's just… I'm a little sore."
Sighing, John opened his arms. "Come on, I'll give you a lift." Seeing the glare Sherlock was giving, he quickly added, "This is not me treating you differently. I was picking you up before I even knew about any of this."
John heard Sherlock mutter something under his breath, but didn't comment as Sherlock held up his arms.
Hiding another smile, John picked Sherlock up, and walked towards the nurses desk to sign the discharge papers, so they could finally go home.
Thanks for reading!
I am going to go to bed now, so please review!
XOXOXOXOXOXOXO